Donalyn Miller is a 6th grade language arts teacher in Texas who is said to have a "gift": She can turn even the most reluctant (or, in her words, "dormant") readers into students who can't put their books down.
Donalyn is the author of The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child (Jossey-Bass/Education Week Press). She first appeared in teachermagazine.org in the popular"Creating Readers" Ask The Mentor column. She writes about how to inspire and motivate student readers, and responds to issues facing teachers and other leaders in the literacy field.

November 2009 Archives

By Elizabeth Rich November 22, 2009 at 12:05 PM

Last night a few of the folks from Jim Burke's English Companion Ning met. In person. Donalyn and I arrived early. A few folks were there ahead of us. By the time Jim arrived, there were about 50 people. There were a lot of "so-great-to-meet-you" hugs going around. Jim thanked everyone for helping to grow the Ning. He shared a few stories of teachers connecting onlinethe funny ones ("help, the stack of papers on my desk has been sitting there for months...ungraded") to the not-so-funny ones ("a student of mine was killed in a car wreck and I need...

By Elizabeth Rich November 21, 2009 at 3:44 PM

While Donalyn was signing books at the Wiley booth, she and I thought it would be good for me to attend Kelly Gallagher and Jeff Anderson's session: Rethinking Literacy Instruction in the Age of Readicide. I got there just as it started. Packed! Three doorways were spilling over with people. Not a seat in the house...Impossible to see anything, almost impossible to hear anything. I had no choice but to leave. The Convention Center halls are crowded as NCTE attendees are starting to bump into marathoners. The Philadelphia marathon is tomorrow morning how those of us who are leaving...

By Elizabeth Rich November 21, 2009 at 12:54 PM

Attended an interesting session this morning on "Reviving Reading in the Post-NCLB World." The discussion included 10 roundtable leaders speaking about: teacher and student agency. Very interesting what's happening in the classroom that runs parallel and counter to tests, tests, and more tests. I can tell you this: Try and try as Arnie Duncan et al might, teachers are working the underground to teach what they want and how they want to teach it. Trust me, the 400 page NCTE program is not devoted to standardized testing and phonemic awareness. The resistance movement is vocal here. After that session, I ...

By Elizabeth Rich November 20, 2009 at 4:01 PM

Just left a pretty interesting session: Engaging the Community Through Photovoice Pioneer Middle School in Michigan has been taking a group of 8th graders to NYC to shoot photographs and write poetry. Last year, they decided to focus on peace as their theme for the school year and their NYC trip. The students read Todd Parr's book, The Peace Book. There was a community service element (8th graders read The Peace Book with elementary school kids). The literacy component was continuing the poetry work that the students had started the previous year. Two teachers, Claire Walton-Swisher and Carmen Johnson, worked ...

By Elizabeth Rich November 20, 2009 at 12:38 PM

In a session on engaging students in online literary responses, there were some interesting discussion points about the use of blogs for fostering literary interpretations (ie, students read To Kill a Mockingbird while writing personal blogs about their social world). During this two-part session, of particular interest was researcher Richard Beach, University of Minnesota, and the use of Nings for adopting online role play. You can find him on the NCTE Ning. Beach used the example of one lesson plan by high school teacher, Elizabeth A. Boeser (mwpwiki.pbworks.com/Elizabeth-a-boeser/; sites.google.com/site/missboeser/), his former advisee. After ...

I just left a panel discussion on censorship and YA literature with Lauren Myracle, Jay Asher, and David Leviathan, authors whose books have been censored for exploring topics like suicide, puberty, and sexual identity. Each author described their experiences with censorship and their impassioned beliefs about intellectual freedom, the rights of readers, and the need for bookstores, classrooms, and libraries to provide access to books. Considering those educators who censor books on order to protect their careers, Leviathan remarked, "What is the point of keeping your job if you are not doing your job?" We read to lose ourselves and ...

By Elizabeth Rich November 20, 2009 at 10:31 AM

After a private bus tour on the NCTE shuttle from the hotel to the massive Philly Convention Center (also hosting this weekend's marathon--about his busy-ness today the security guard at the door said, "They're getting their money's worth."), I have finally arrived. The place is packed, teeming with teachers from everywhere... Donalyn will be emerging from Teri Lesesne's session on "YA Books That Spark Readers" (once we have Donalyn online, she'll be reporting on that) momentarily. Things seen at the convention center:: A lot of teachers bent over their 400 page NCTE program, presentations stacked by doorways, presentations still being ...

By Elizabeth Rich November 20, 2009 at 8:11 AM

By Elizabeth Rich November 20, 2009 at 7:39 AM

Good morning, readers. This is Elizabeth Rich, editor of Education Week Teacher. As Donalyn mentioned, I will be sharing her blog while she and I report to you from NCTE. As I write this, Donalyn is likely securing a front row seat to hear Julie Andrews and her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, at this morning's general session. (I, alas, am on the train.) Once we get our portable office set up, you will be hearing from both of us on matters large and small. Stay tuned... Elizabeth Rich...

This week, I am heading off to the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention in Philadelphia. My colleague from teachermagazine.org, Elizabeth Rich, and I will be live-blogging from the convention. I look forward to seeing keynote speakers like Julie Andrews, visiting presentations by notable literacy leaders like Jim Burke and Kelly Gallagher, and stalking my favorite authors! I will also be signing books at the Wiley/Blackwell booth (#719) on Saturday, November 21st at 3:00 pm. I look forward to meeting many of you at the convention....